Bruins select three forwards, one defenseman in 2016 NAHL Draft

AUSTIN, MN – The Austin Bruins made four selections in Tuesday’s NAHL Draft, taking three forwards and one defenseman as they selected in the first, second, fifth, and sixth rounds.

The Bruins chose defenseman Peter Zsombor Garat (Budapest, Hungary) in the 1st round with the 11th overall selection. Garat, a ’97 birth year, is an offensive blue-liner who put up 48 points (12 goals, 36 assists) in 58 games with the Seacoast College Prep Hockey Club in New Hampshire this past season. Garat has played in the United States for the past two seasons, spending the 2014-15 campaign with the Boston Jr. Bandits of the EHL.

In the 2nd round, with the 44th overall pick, the Bruins took forward John Wojciechowski (Larmont, NY), who played the majority of last season in the USHL with the Omaha Lancers. Born in ’98, Wojciechowski suited up in 44 games with Omaha in ’15-16, scoring one goal with seven assists. Prior to the USHL, he played two seasons in the EHL, with the New York Apple Core and the New Jersey Rockets.

With the 107th overall pick in Round 5, the Bruins chose forward Cole Lawrence, the Captain of the 2015-16 Eden Prairie High School squad. Lawrence, a ’97 birth year, averaged over a point per game in his senior season, scoring 12 goals with 19 assists in 25 contests. Lawrence was selected in last month’s USHL Phase II Draft by the Des Moines Buccaneers in the 19th round.

In the 6th round (131st overall), the Bruins selected forward Michael Montambault (Ann Arbor, MI) who played 52 games in the USHL between Omaha and Des Moines last season where he totaled six points (3 goals, 3 assists). The ’97 birth year player spent the prior three seasons with the Victory Honda Tier I Elite program, notching a point per game in his final year of U18 play.

The Bruins have an already large protected list, with several returning players and tender agreements in place. All four draft picks figure to have a good chance at making the roster. Main tryout camp and prospect camp will be held July 6th-10th at Riverside Arena, for the first time.